Light transmitting member for indicating leakage in cabinet closures



C. E. HEILIG, JR LIGHT TRANSMITTINGMEMBER FOR INDICATING PIC}. 5,

LEAKAGE IN CABINET CLOSURES Filed Feb 7, 1946 March 29, 1949.

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LIGHT TRANSMITTING MEMBER FOR INDI- CA'IING LEAI KAGE IN CABINET CLOSURES Charles E. Heinz, Jr Llanerch Hills, Pa., assignor, by mcfsne assignments, to Philco Corporation, Philadelphi'a, Pa", a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 'z, 1946, Serial No. scams 2 Claims. (Cl. 38-14) This invention relates to cabinet construction and has especial reference to the investigation of structural defects therein.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with a method of and apparatus for visually indicating the condition of refrigerator door gasket seals, whereby investigation may be made thereof.

Refrigerator door constructions usually include, about the perimeter thereof, a soft rubber gasket which is adapted to impinge against the door jamb of the cabinet to seal the interior against leakage. It is important that this seal be perfect or at least complete, and therefore manufacturers take'care tosee that such is the condition before the refrigerator is released for sale.

Determination of this condition requires some kind of inspection procedure, of which, one is to place a bright light in the interior of the cabinet, close the door, and then pass the cabinet through a dark room, at which time the seal maybe in. vestigated by scanning the juncture of the gasket and the door iamb to see if any light is visible. If no light is visible, it is apparent that the seal is suiilciently complete, but if light is visible then the seal is not complete and must be repaired prior to release of the refrigerator.

' In many refrigerators this method of inspection is unsatisfactory as it is difficult and sometimes impossible so to position the light within be so limited, the following description is directed principally to that type of construction, and is thus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view oi a top-access refrigerator of the type utilizing a "plug type door; 7 Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the apparatus of the present invention and also illustrating dia grammatically the principles of the invention in the storage compartment that illumination therefrom will be visible, through any small apertures or clearances between the gasket and door jamb.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present-invention to provide an improved method of and apparatus for indicating and investigating structural defects in cabinet construction.

More particularly, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide an improved method of and apparatus for visually indicating the sealed condition of a refrigerator door gasket when the door is in closed position against the door jamb.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such method and apparatus characterized by simplicity and ease of operation.

The invention is intended for use in the inspection of all types of cabinet construction, however, it has found particular usefulness in the inspection of that type of refrigerator cabinet construction with which is used what is generally termed a plug type door, that is, a door,in which the inner panel has an offset portion which extends inwardly of the liner and in close adjacency to the cabinet breaker strip. While it should be clearly understood that the invention is not to in the method aspect;

Figure 3 is a still further enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the door jamb structure of the refrigerator, showing a portion of the door with its associated gasket and with a portion of the apparatus of the invention in position for use; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a component of the apparatus of the present invention, illustrated as removed from the refrigerator; and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing a flush type door construction and a modified form of apparatus of the invention in position between the door and door lamb of the re frigerator.

Referring more particularly to the details of the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3 thereof, the numeral ill designates a topaccess refrigerator cabinet which has its access opening closed by a closure member on door it.

The door is of the conventional well known plug type construction comprising an outer panel l2, and an inner panel [3, joined about their perimeters by any suitable means (not shown), and with the breaker-strip portion of a soft r1ibber combined gasket-breaker-strip member M, interposed therebetween. The central portion 15 of panel [3 is pressed outwardly to provide additional space between the panels to accommodate suitable insulating material Hi. It is this portion of the door which is responsible for the plug" designation, as it extends inwardly of the cabinet in amanner to plug the access opening.

As seen most clearly in Figure 3, the gasket portion I! of member I4 is positioned on the comparatively narrow co-planar marginal edge portions of the door and is adapted, when the door is in closed position, to impinge upon a substantially horizontal ledge or jamb is of cabinet II), which ledge is formed by an inturned flange portion of outer shell 20 of the cabinet. Secured to the inner edge of this ledge is a breaker strip'2l which extends inwardly of said spaced from well 22 of the central portion of inner panel l3. Securely attached to the bottom edge of breaker-strip 2! is the outwardly turned flange 22 of inner linner 24, which defines the.

food storage compartment of the refrigerator.

Considering this type of construction as one with which the invention is particularly useful, it may readily be seen that, because of the angle formed at the juncture of the breaker strip it with the horizontally positioned ledge is, it would be impossible for light from a source within the cabinet to be emitted from beneath the gasket, if its seal with the ledge was im perfect. I

The present invention makes it possible to inspect the gasket seal in even such constructions, by providing apparatus for transmitting light rays to the juncture of the gasket and ledge 69 thereby providing ample illumination for inspec= tion purposes.

In particular accordance with the apparatus concept of the invention, there is provided a frame-like member 90 having thin sloping side walls 86 arranged to lit in the space or air-gap between the sloping wall 22 of inner panel is and the angularly w breaker-strip 2i. Formed on the upper rim of the is is an outwardly turned lip portion 92 which, when the frame is in w:- rests upon ledge it to support the frame on the cabinet. When in this position. lip 92 is directed at the juncture of st am In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, there is shown a flush type door used with modified apparatus in accordance with the invention; In this form, the frame is flat, and may haveits inner edge beveled, as shown at 40, to ensure entrance of sumcient light from the source. It will be apparent that rays from the light source will be transmitted to the juncture of the gasket with the .door lamb in the manner and for the purposes heretofore described, in relation to the preferred .iorm.

' i claim: 7

1. Apparatus for indicating leakage in the region pf contact between a cabinet door and jamb cooperating to define a sealed chamber whereln'the cabinet has thick walls and the sealsketi l with the ledge. It should be understood I however that the frame may be otherwise supported, as by having its walls 3! rest upon the breaker-strip 2!. n H

Preferably frame te is' molded o'f'a light-transmitting and directing material, such aspfor ex= ample, one of the methyl-methacrylate resinous plastics designated by the trade names Lucite or Plexiglas. which are characterized by high ccefiicients of light transmission, and substantial refractive properties.

While it is quite feasible that the frame may be self-supporting, it may be desirable in some applications to provide a reinforcing band 39 (see Figure 3) of suitable material, such as metal, about the walls of the frame. Further, when the refrigerator is provided with a lid-stay (not shown) to hold the door in elevated position, th

frame may be splitalong the lines as, 34 4) to permit positioning of the'frame around said lid-stay.

In practicing the invention, and as illustrated in Figure 2, a light 35 is placed within the cabinet, the apparatus or frame'is positioned as de= scribed above, the lid is closed and the juncture of the door gasket with the ledge is scanned to determine if light may be seen therethrough. To

facilitate detection of such light, it is best to place the refrigerator in a dark room. It is understood, of course, that light directed to that edge ing means is disposed at'the perimeter of the door and including a source of light adapted to illuminate the interior of the chamber, said apparatus comprising a light-transmitting and directing peripheral frame member having fiat sides and adapted to be disposed within the space between the walls and the door in close adjacency to and inwardly of said region of contact between the sealing means for the door and lamb, said member having a light-receiving inner edge portion adapted to extend within the chamber into position to receive light from said source and a second outer edge portion from which the re- :eized light is directed upon said region of con- 2. Apparatus for indicating leakage in the region of contact between a cabinet door and jamb cooperating to define a sealed chamber wherein the cabinet has thick walls and the sealing means is disposed at the perimeter of the door, and including a source of light adapted to illuminate the interior of the chamber, said apparatus comprising a light-transmitting'and directing memher having fiat sides adapted to be disposed within the space between the walls and the door in close adjacency to and inwardly of said region of contact between the sealing means for the door and jamb, said member having a light-receiving inner edge portion adapted to extend within the chamber into position to receive light from said source and a second outer edge portion from which the" received light is directed upon said region of contact.

EFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

